TexRD - version 0.4 beta for Windows
(c) Luc Decker
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contact : luc.decker.nospam@wanadoo.fr
(remove ".nospam" to write to the author)
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1 - Presentation
2 - Required configuration
3 - Installation
4 - Quick start
5 - Recommended softwares
1 - Presentation
================
TexRD software allows animated random textures to be generated
by means of algorithms based on reaction-diffusion principle.
More specifically, complex chemical reactions between several fluids
are simulated and produce various patterns by self-organization.
Similar morphogenesis phenomena (spontaneous build-up of shapes) are
observed in the real life and could account for the patterns observed
on the skin on some animals, exotic fishes, shells, minerals...
Even if it looks complicated to you, it is not necessary to
understand how it exactly works to use TexRD ! You can take the
advantage of the software by simply starting the calculation of the
manifold given examples. Progressively, you will learn how to change
simple parameters like the image size or its colors.
Any texture generated by TexRD can be tiled, i.e. juxtaposing
the same basic texture so as to fill a given space. The texture will
be perfectly adjusted to each other, edge to edge without join. Web
pages backgrounds can also use pattern tiling.
TexRD is designed for graphic designers, cyber-artists, etc...
Like a mathematical game, it showed also be of interest for science
lovers as a powerful tool to create new original textures. The thrill
of discovery is enhanced by the fact that reaction-diffusion patterns
cannot be predicted by the theory (except for the simplest models).
They require multiple trials associating chance, observations and
attempts to find the rules governing the effects of the various
parameters. You will discover completely novel textures, because
there are so many combinations possible.
With TexRD, you will be able to create all kinds of abstract
images for postal cards or front pages, bindings, paper bookmarks,
windows wallpapers, as well as new ideas for decoration patterns.
Computer graphics experts could also use such textures to cover
virtual objects and make them look more realistic - real world is
full of random patterns !
This software version is free for non-commercial use. The
author's agreement is needed in all other cases. If you put some
images produced with TexRD in the public domain, you should mention
"Textures generated by the TexRD software, www.texrd.com". If it is
an website, contact the author : a link can be added from the texd.com
website so as to illustrate some typical use examples.
2 - Required configuration
==========================
This version of TexRD has been tested on Windows 98 and XP. It
should work out properly with some other versions of Windows. The
amount of RAM used by the software can reach 18 Mb, depending on the
size of textures and the reaction models.
The hard disk space required for installation is only 0.5 Mb. One
should yet foresee to keep a few tens of Mb for image recording, in
particular if you want to build animated sequences showing the
evolution of textures.
N.B. It is possible to disable the recording of images on hard
disk and, in this case, use only the visualization module integrated
in the software (set "t+100000" in the "image256"/"image16M"
instruction parameters)
3 - Installation
================
Installation is carried out manually.
- Uncompress the ZIP archive which creates the whole set of folders
and files needed to run TexRD. If you update an existing version of
TexRD, you can use the same installation folder, but all example files
will be replaced by their new version (thus be careful if you modified
them without renaming). Files that you have added (parameters,images..)
will be preserved.
- Option
* Add a shortcut to "texrd.exe" on Windows desktop
* Associate *.TRD files with the "texrd.exe" program
- You can move "texrd.exe" and associated files in another folder.
Nothing is recorded elsewhere.
- To remove TexRD from your computer, simply delete the folder which
contains the program. You may want to save your creations before.
Contents of ZIP archive :
texrd.exe program to run, window version
texrd.ini configuration saving
license.txt user license
readme.txt this file
versions.txt version notes and known bugs
exemple.tpl basic example with many comments, loaded
from "Help" menu
examples\*.trd parameter examples for the available models
examples\art\*.trd artistic examples
examples\pov-ray example of texture use with POV-Ray software
please read "readme_povray.txt" in this folder
examples\backups original sample backups (concerns TRD files)
test\test.trd test parameters (to run)
test\compare.bmp compare this image with the one produced by your
computer (debug helper...)
4 - Quick start
===============
- Run TexRD
- Open "Parameters" menu and choose "Load..."
- Select one of the "TRD" files from the "Examples" folder. Parameters
needed to compute a texture are loaded and displayed in the editor.
As a beginner, you are not expected to understand their full meaning.
- Open "Texture" menu and choose "Run". Watch the progress of
computations : the texture is progressively building up and evolves
with time. Most often, there is no precise step when the texture is
completed.
- Test different preview modes in the "Texture" menu, even during the
computations.
- Using Windows Explorer (or a software like ACDSee), browse the folder
"TexRD\Examples" and open BMP images recorded here. These images
are equivalent to concentration maps for one of the simulated
chemical component. Actually, they contain nice texture after applying
"false colors" (depending on the color map, pattern perception is
enhanced). See below for help on image filenames.
- Try some other parameters to obtain a different result. The following
are the simplest to modify : "size ... ..." (texture size),
"randseed ..." (random generator seed) and "colormap .........".
- Very exciting examples can also be found in the "Examples/Art" folder
- Finally, in the "Help" menu, you will find a full example which
details the syntax and role of each instruction used in TRD files.
CAUTION : after any modification, save the example files under another
name. Your creations will thus be preserved when you will install an
update of TexRD.
Image filenames : if the parameter filename is "xyz.trd", the resulting
textures will be saved under the name "xyz_[...].BMP", within the same
folder. Filename is build from the component name ('A','B', ...) and
the computation step (number of iterations). If one looks at component
'A' and wants to save the system state every 50 iterations, the files
will be named "xyz_A000100.bmp", "xyz_A000150.bmp", etc... One can
thus record the variation of the texture with time, and even make
animated sequences.
5 - Recommended softwares
=========================
- An explorer like ACDSee is recommended to browse the images saved
with TexRD (shareware, see www.acdsystems.com ). The slide show
feature of ACDSee can be used to animate a texture (set a 100 ms
interval between each image). An AVI animation can be generated from
a series of BMP images by using other softwares : for example,
AviCreator freeware, see http://www.bloodshed.net/avi.html ). In order
to check quickly the tiling (mosaic mode), use Windows wallpaper feature.
- Feel free to use your favorite graphic software to modify raw textures
saved with TexRD : enhance contrast, change gamma, combine several
images...
- To evaluate the rendering of textures in virtual environments (3D
computer graphics), you will enjoy the use of a ray tracer like POV-Ray,
which is a freeware, see www.povray.org. An easy way is to start with an
example distributed with POV-Ray and to replace some textures by those
made with TexRD. POV-Ray can load textures from images (instead of
computing them), but BMP format is not available. Saving TGA images with
TexRD will solve that problem, using an optional parameter in the
instructions image256/image16M. An example of the combined use of TexRD
and POV-Ray can be found in the folder examples\pov-ray, read the file
readme_povray.txt.